Looking for tips related to financial planning and investment management?
Donating Cash or Stock to Charity
When making donations it's important to consider whether you should be donating cash or stock to charity. In this week's video, Tom explains the differences between public and private charities. As well as, answering whether you should donate cash or stock to...
How to Manage Your Personal Cash Flow
Managing your cash flow is at the heart of all personal finance. Whether investing for the future, applying for a mortgage, planning for retirement, or paying down debt, you have to know your numbers. We talked on a recent podcast about how some things cost more now...
What Should We Do About Inflation?
In this week's podcast, Tom, Brendan and Casey discuss the highest inflation reading in over 30 years. The guys share their thoughts on how to best handle inflation from an investing and financial planning standpoint. Nobody likes to pay more for everyday items. Tune...
Gifting Strategies: How to Gift to Individuals
Many folks turn to gifting strategies as a way to help their loved ones, while reducing their taxable estate. But how to go about it can be confusing. In this week's video, Tom breakdowns the best way to gift to individuals. He covers how much each individual can...
Are You Eligible For Catch-Up Contributions?
Catch-up contributions allow workers approaching retirement age to contribute excess money into their retirement plans. 2021 is winding down but there is still time to make these extra contributions if you meet the requirements. In this blog post, we'll cover what...
3 Misconceptions About Inflation and Your Investments
In this week's podcast, Casey breakdowns three of the most popular misconceptions we hear about what inflation means for your investments. He highlights how stocks are the best inflation hedge we have. As well as touching on two common alternatives we often hear...
Active Funds: Is Being Different Worth the Risk?
In this week's video, Casey discusses a research report from Morningstar that details how active funds have recently compared to their passive counter parts. This question drives at what makes investing so difficult, and interesting. So it's useful to put some numbers...
Taking Money Out of Your 401(k): What to Expect
Saving money into a 401(k ) plan is a great way to help your future self. But you should not plan on touching this money until later in life. Exactly when that will be depends on the individual. The rules state that you cannot withdraw money from your 401(k) until you...
Social Security: 5.9% Cost of Living Adjustment
In this week's podcast, Brendan and Casey discuss the 5.9% cost of living adjustment (COLA) to Social Security checks starting in 2022. They breakdown how the COLA is calculated, how these adjustment are built into financial plans and so much more. Social Security is...
Required Minimum Distributions: 8 Things to Know
If you are saving money into a tax deferred investment account, odds are you will have to take a required minimum distribution at some point. If you are already taking your RMDs, the deadline to do so for 2021 is December 31st. Tax deferred investment accounts are a...
Are Target Date Funds Right For You? Part 2
In this week's podcast, Tom, Brendan and Casey wrap up their discussion on whether or not target date funds are "good" investments for 401(k) investors. A recent Wall Street Journal article recommended recreating target date funds on your own. The guys breakdown why...
How Do Low Interest Rates Affect Asset Allocation?
In this week's video, Casey discusses how asset allocation has changed throughout different interest rate environments. Should investors be chasing more risk because interest rates are so low? Key factors like time horizon, risk tolerance, and ultimately what...
So, What is Risk Anyway?
The real risks are often what we don't see. We get a lot of phone calls that start like this: I've been seeing all these headlines about (insert topic here) is this something we should be worried about? We're grateful for the opportunity to help answer these...
Are Target Date Funds Right for You? Part 1
In this week's podcast the guys weigh in on whether or not target date funds are "good" investments for 401(k) investors. They get into what target date funds get right, what they get wrong and why understanding a 401(k) plan's default options are so important. Is...
Exchange Traded Funds Are NOT Just for Beginners
In this week's video, Tom discusses why exchange traded funds are NOT just for beginners. He highlights their tax efficiency, diversification and low costs as reasons why exchange traded funds should be considered by all investors. The Walton family trust, one of the...
6 Money Conversations for Marriage
Planning a wedding, and celebrating a marriage, can be one of the most exciting times in a couple’s life. But it can also be incredibly stressful. With money usually playing a part. My brothers and I have had a fun (and hectic) couple of weeks with weddings lately....
Investing History: Top 10 Companies in the S&P 500 1980-Today
In this week's podcast, Tom and Casey talk investing history and take a look back through the last four decades at the largest companies in the S&P 500. From the oil dominated Top 10 of the 1980's to the Tech heavy Top 10 of today. If there is one constant in...
Who Are the Panic Sellers?
In this week's video, Tom discusses a report from MIT that tried to figure who the "panic sellers" are when markets get rocky. The report indicated that "investors" who rate themselves as having excellent investment experience are more likely to be panic sellers. Tom...
How to Save for Retirement: 457 Plan vs. 403(b)
The easiest way to start saving for retirement is through a work place retirement plan. Having an employer-sponsored retirement savings plan is a key factor in whether Americans save for retirement. Only 18% of those without access to an employer-sponsored plan said...
Tax Planning: Lifetime Tax vs. Yearly Tax
In this week's podcast episode, the guys discuss why tax planning should be thought about in terms of lifetime tax, instead of year to year tax. Tax planning is so much more than focusing on reducing your tax bill as much as possible on a yearly basis. They get into...
